Accessibility links

Navigation

Busniess Studies at John O'Gaunt School

Course description

What does the new AS AQA Specification contain and how is the course Assessed?At the first year of the Business Studies A Level, the AS level, the course is made up of 2 mandatory introductory units, a first unit studied from September into January, with a second unit studied from January into June, as follows:Unit 1- Planning & Financing a Business. Topics include (1) Starting a Business, for example, the creation of Business Plans, conducting start-up Market Research and obtaining Finance to get a business off the ground and (2) Financial Planning, for example, understanding Profits and Costs, the setting of Business Budgets and raising further Finance.Unit 2- Managing a Business. Topics include (1) Marketing & Competition, for example, how does a business stay on top of its competitors? (2) Managing Operations, for example, do Robots make better workers than people? (3) People in The Business World, for example, who really are the Dragon’s Den? Is there a ‘gender bias’ in Business? and (4) Further Finance in Business, for example, what happens if a business runs into financial difficulty? What does the new A2 AQA Specification contain and how is the course Assessed?Completion of the A2 level, the 2nd year of the Business Studies course, involves mandatory study of a further (2) exploratory units that build on AS Units 1 and 2; a first unit is again studied from September into January followed by a second and final unit studied from January into June, as follows:Unit 3- Strategies for Business Success. Topics include (1) Marketing and Promotion, for example, techniques for keeping customers loyal (2) Human Resource Management, for example, the best methods for maintaining employee motivation (3) Business Objectives, for example, planning to expand a business into The EU (4) Financial Accounts, for example, how ‘The Tax Man’ affects every business and (5) Business Operations Strategies, for example, how businesses keep expenses under control.Unit 4- The Business Environment and Managing Change (1) Changing Corporate Strategy, for example, what methods can be adapted to Diversify into other Markets? (2) Managing in a Changing Financial World, for example, what will be the business impact of the ‘Credit Crunch’ in years to come? (3) External Factors in The Business Environment, for example, how or do businesses act ethically?Assessment – Students will sit 2 exams in the June of the first year. Progression onto the A2 course requires a minimum of a grade D at A/S level. The assessment of the A2 course involves two further examinations in the June of the second year.

Entry requirements

4 or 5 GSCE A*-C inc English and Maths

Future opportunities

What might students use this complete A Level qualification (AS+A2) for in The Real World?Past Business Studies students have gone on to study related subjects at university, for example, Business, Law, Economics, Marketing and Accounting. The Business Studies A Level is a traditionally respected qualification with all good universities.Other students who are more vocational in their outlook have found that they have given themselves a commercial advantage over other candidates for entry-level employment and apprenticeships in industry. Finally, there are also always those Entrepreneurs who take their new knowledge of the Business World and go on to set up their own successful businesses.

How to apply

If you want to apply for this course, you will need to contact John O'Gaunt School directly.